


Don't Let Go

by syriala



Series: The Hug Series [13]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Casual Intimacy, Developing Relationship, Goodbyes, Hugging, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post season 3a, Pre-Slash, developing feelings, mentions of ritual sacrifices
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-04
Updated: 2017-12-04
Packaged: 2019-02-10 15:59:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12915273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/syriala/pseuds/syriala
Summary: Cora shot him a knowing smirk when they stopped in front of Stiles’ house. Derek rolled his own eyes at the dramatics of his sister but he quickly stepped out of the car, before she could think better of it and started to complain for real.He jumped up to Stiles’ room easily but when he entered he froze on the spot. Everything smelled wrong.





	Don't Let Go

Cora shot him a knowing smirk when they stopped in front of Stiles’ house.

“Shouldn’t you have done that before we actually got into the car? I could be chilling on the couch right now,” she said and rolled her eyes at him.

“I’ll only be a minute,” Derek told her and she actually laughed at him.

“Yeah, sure,” she said while she already got her phone out.

Derek rolled his own eyes at the dramatics of his sister but he quickly stepped out of the car, before she could think better of it and started to complain for real.

He jumped up to Stiles’ room easily but when he entered he froze on the spot. Everything smelled wrong.

Stiles was sitting in his chair, already turning around to Derek but Derek couldn’t move. It smelled like death and darkness and it was coming from Stiles.

“What happened?” Derek croaked out and Stiles frowned at him.

“You know what happened? You were there?” he asked and slowly got up, as if not to startle Derek.

“You’re dead,” Derek whispered and was suddenly hit with the fear that this was just a dream; a projection to keep him sane. He felt his eyes flash, but he got himself under control a second later.

Stiles’ face fell and he crossed his arms in front of himself.

“I was. I mean, for a few minutes?” He cringed at that. “Okay, Deaton said it was hours, actually. But I’m not _dead_ dead,” he explained. “We needed to find the Nematon, and Deaton had this nifty ritual ready, you know, where Scott, Allison and I all just die for a bit, to learn its location, but we all made it back, so yay?”

“You smell all wrong,” Derek told him, but he was already walking up to Stiles to press his nose into his temple.

He took a deep breath and he nearly gagged at the darkness he could smell there, but underneath it was Stiles usual scent, earthy and grounding.

He scented Stiles for a little bit longer and eventually Stiles chuckled.

“I guess I don’t smell _that_ wrong?”

“Your scent is still there, underneath it,” Derek said and took a step back.

“I guess it’s just residual then,” Stiles shrugged. “It’s only been a few days. It will probably fade.”

“Probably,” Derek agreed and very pointedly did not think about how Scott had smelled nothing like Stiles.

“You going to explain the blue eyes you flashed there for a second?” Stiles asked him and waved his hand at Derek’s face, effectively distracting him.

“I healed Cora,” Derek said and Stiles frowned.

“And those two things are connected how?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I gave up my power to heal her. It’s a thing, apparently.”

“Did Peter tell you about this apparent thing, because let me tell you, you are never allowed to do something Peter suggests without asking me first ever again.”

“It worked, Stiles,” Derek whispered and Stiles faces softened. “She’s alright again. It was worth it.”

“I didn’t say it wasn’t, big guy,” Stiles said and put his hand on Derek’s neck. “I’m just saying you’re not allowed to trust your uncle like that when I’m not around to call him out on his bullshit,” he said and gently squeezed Derek. “Promise me.”

“I promise,” Derek gave back.

“Good. So, are you a beta again? Are you gonna join Scott’s pack?”

Derek cringed at that and Stiles eyes went wide.

“You’re leaving,” he softly said and Derek nodded. “Good,” Stiles said with emphasis. “This place is not good for you.”

“Cora and I are leaving for South America. She has her pack there.”

“Are you gonna join them?” Stiles asked and he sounded tired.

Derek shrugged. “The plan is to bring her there. We’ll see about the rest.”

He didn’t tell Stiles that he had no wish to stay with them.

Stiles managed to get a weak smile on his face.

“This is good for you, Derek. You need to look happier about it,” he told him with a small punch to his shoulder.

“Are you okay?” Derek asked instead of acknowledging that and now Stiles shrugged.

“Deaton said there was a price to pay. That we would let a darkness in our heart. I guess it’s what you’re smelling and I hope it goes away again. But we had to. I mean. She had our parents. Our parents, Derek, we had to do something.”

“I know,” Derek said and pulled Stiles into a hug. “I know, but I don’t like it.” The strange smell was still overpowering Stiles natural scent and it made his stomach twist.

“You’re leaving now, aren’t you? This is goodbye,” Stiles stated and Derek nodded.

“Cora’s waiting in the car,” he said and Stiles chuckled against his neck.

“Did you crack a window, we wouldn’t want her to overheat,” he joked and Derek laughed with him, sure he would get hell for it from Cora later.

“I’ll miss you,” Derek told him and Stiles squeezed him tight for a second.

“You too, buddy. But this is good, it’s good for you. Just promise to stay in touch?”

“Okay,” Derek easily agreed and Stiles stepped back.

“Promise, Derek,” he said, sterner this time, as if Derek would lie to him.

“I promise, Stiles. I’ll be in touch.”

“And don’t come back if you don’t have to,” Stiles continued and this promise was even easier to make.

As long as Stiles was here there was always a reason to come back.

“I promise,” Derek said again and Stiles nodded before he gently pushed him.

“You should get going then.”

Derek caught his hand before Stiles could take it back.

“Promise me to call when you need help, or if you need anything. Promise me you’ll call even if you just want to.”

Derek was holding Stiles gaze and he wasn’t letting him go any time soon, if he didn’t get that promise and there was something resigned to Stiles’ shoulders when he finally nodded.

“I promise,” he whispered and Derek knew he wouldn’t keep that promise.

He was too convinced that it would be better for Derek if he left, without any strings attached and it wouldn’t do at all.

“I’ll call if you won’t,” Derek threatened and Stiles shrugged.

“Knock yourself out,” he told him and then tugged on his arm.

Derek reluctantly let him go, and he was acutely aware of Cora listening in on them from the car, of Stiles’ strange scent, and suddenly leaving didn’t feel so right anymore.

“Don’t talk yourself out of this,” Stiles suddenly said and Derek huffed out a laugh.

Stiles could read him entirely too easily.

“Goodbye, Derek,” Stiles said and darted forwards to press a fleeting kiss to his cheek before he sat back down in his chair.

“Goodbye, Stiles,” Derek whispered, but Stiles didn’t even look back at him and so Derek climbed out of the window again.

He had promised to keep in touch with Stiles and he had every intention of keeping that promise.


End file.
